A Delicious Recipe for Gluten Free Cake

We gluten free humans deserve delicious cake just like everyone else! And I guarantee that this recipe for gluten free cake is so moist and delicious that nobody will be able to tell it’s gluten free. Though I love all kinds of cake flavors, sometimes it’s nice to to have a classic. This light and tender vanilla cake that’s slathered with a rich, fudgy chocolate frosting is exactly that. It’s a gluten free cake recipe that I turn to for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, bridal and baby showers…you get the idea!

Growing up, we always had cake from a box mix. There’s nothing wrong with that! But when I had kids of my own, I decided to try to make my own cakes from scratch. I love to bake, but I always struggled with cakes, even before I had to adopt a gluten free diet. Over the years I’ve discovered some tips and tricks to ensure that your cakes are delicious, tender and not dry at all!

Tips for Making Your Gluten Free Cake Recipes Light & Moist

• Make sure your milk, butter (or other fat) and eggs are room temperature. Why? When these ingredients are cold it can create a batter that is lumpy and dense. When they are room temperature, it’s much easier for them to emulsify and when beaten together they create air. This airy mixture will then give extra loft and rise to your cake when it’s baking in the oven resulting in a lighter, more tender crumb. It’s especially important for gluten free cake recipes, because gluten free cakes can be more dense than other cakes.
• If you are converting a standard cake recipe to be gluten free, consider adding an extra egg. This egg can help give the cake more loft and a lighter texture.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy, not just blended. Then when you add the eggs, beat again until light and fluffy. We do this for the same reason above, to add air into the batter which will give you a lighter crumb.
• Make sure your oven is calibrated (the correct temperature) and that the cake is actually done. Undercooking a gluten free cake can result in a mushy texture. Be sure that your cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. It should come out clean. Another way to test for doneness is to gently press in the center of the cake. It should not leave a dent – and should feel springy to the touch.

How to Make a Gluten Free Vanilla Cake with Rich Chocolate Frosting

This gluten free vanilla cake is light and tender and oh-so-classic. Slathered with a rich chocolate frosting, you really get the best of both worlds. Sprinkles are optional, but are they really?

Ingredients:

• 4 cups + 2 tablespoons of Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour or 650 g
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
• 2¼ cups of cane sugar
• 3 large eggs + 3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sour cream (at room temperature)
• 1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons whole milk (at room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter (or dairy free stick butter substitute of your choice, melted and cooled slightly)
• 1 1/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2/3 cup whole milk (or milk substitute of your choice)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Prepare the cakes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three, 8-inch cake pans lightly with gluten-free cooking spray. Line each of the bottoms with a round of parchment (use a pan as your guide to cut rounds of parchment) and spray again. Set aside.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Repeat with the egg whites. Stir in the vanilla.
4. Add half the flour mixture to the butter and beat to combine. Add the milk and sour cream and the remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and smooth with an offset spatula so they are even.
5. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert onto a cooling rack. Cool cakes completely. At this point, I usually wrap the cakes in plastic and refrigerate over night so they are easier to work with.
6. Make the frosting. Whisk the melted butter into the cocoa powder until thoroughly combined. Alternate adding the sugar with the milk while beating until the frosting is smooth and glossy and a spreadable consistency. If the frosting seems too thick, add a splash of additional milk. If it seems too thin, add additional powdered sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt.
7. Frost the cooled cakes as desired.

Love gluten free cake? Me too! Here are some more delicious cake recipes to try:

• The Best Recipe for Gluten Free Carrot Cake
• A Stunning Gluten Free Lemon Cake
• How to Make the Most Adorable Fresh Watermelon Cake with Summer Berries

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐). It means a lot and helps my content get seen! Post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!

Gluten Free Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Alison Needham

This gluten free vanilla cake is light and tender and oh-so-classic. Slathered with a rich chocolate frosting, you really get the best of both worlds. Sprinkles are optional, but are they really?

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Frosting Prep & Cake Decoration 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Calories 992 kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• 3 8-inch cake pans

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups + 2 tablespoons of Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour or 650 g
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 2¼ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs + 3 large egg whites at room temperature
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sour cream at room temperature
• 1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons whole milk at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter or dairy free stick butter substitute of your choice, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 1/3 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
• 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 2/3 cup whole milk or milk substitute of your choice
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

• Prepare the cakes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three, 8-inch cake pans lightly with gluten-free cooking spray. Line each of the bottoms with a round of parchment (use a pan as your guide to cut rounds of parchment) and spray again. Set aside.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy. Repeat with the egg whites.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Add half the flour mixture to the butter and beat to combine. Add the milk and sour cream and the remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth.
• Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and smooth with an offset spatula so they are even.
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert onto a cooling rack.
• Cool cakes completely. At this point, I usually wrap the cakes in plastic and refrigerate over night so they are easier to work with.
• Make the frosting. Whisk the melted butter into the cocoa powder until thoroughly combined. Alternate adding the sugar with the milk while beating until the frosting is smooth and glossy and a spreadable consistency. If the frosting seems too thick, add a splash of additional milk. If it seems too thin, add additional powdered sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt.
• Frost the cooled cakes as desired.

Notes

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐). It means a lot and helps my content get seen! Post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 992kcalCarbohydrates: 144gProtein: 10gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 29gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 847mgPotassium: 296mgFiber: 8gSugar: 109gVitamin A: 1469IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 191mgIron: 5mg

Keyword chocolate frosting, Gluten free cake recipe, gluten free vanilla cake, gluten free vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream, recipe for gluten free cake

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Thank you for helping support my small business! A Girl Defloured earns revenue in a few different ways; I have occasional sponsored post and I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there might be a few of those links in this post. The only items that I feature are those that I use on a regular basis and that I truly love. I earn a small commission on your purchase, but you don’t pay any more than retail price. This allows me to share my recipes with you (and keeps me well fed). THANK YOU!